Something New
by Watermalone
Summary: Originally a one shot I planned weeks ago, this is now a short story that will be updated regularly over the next few weeks! Nearly four years later, it is once again that special time of year at Echo Creek Academy. Parties, nostalgia, and, most of all, romance fills the air as we follow Star and Marco on Prom Night.
1. Sparks

**Before anyone gets mad... HERE LOOK A STARCO STORY PLZ BE DISTRACTED DON'T HURT ME! XD**

 **Heya folks it's Watermalone here with a brand new beginning to hopefully something amazing!**

 **Before I begin, I must explain a few things. If you couldn't care less then scroll past the bold to begin your reading adventures! :)**

 **First, if you did not know already, I've been gone for a month. I know what you're thinking,** _ **"You could've just come online on your phone or whatever".**_ **(Maybe not exactly that but you get the gyst of it.) And it's true, I could have. However, I didn't. The reasons I have are personal, but let me tell you this: because of everything that has happened, I've had little to no motivation to concern myself with writing and updating, and barely enough leftover energy to read/review everyone's amazing works. And for that I do apologize. Honestly, everything in my life has been falling apart, starting last July. I've tried concealing it but there have been times where I simply broke down into a million pieces. I've been angry, sad, hyper, anxious, and confused. Psychologically, I basically felt insane the past month.**

 **I know this probably isn't a concern of yours, but I had to get it off my chest. Now that my meds have kicked in I've been able to look at life a lot differently. I know that I felt broken before, but I'm more than willing to pick myself back up again. Not only for my future, but for my present. There's things that I do have to live for, and you guys are definitely one of them. And so I thank you all kindly.**

 **Second, I know my first update after so long is not for my main series 'For Old Time's Sake', and the reason why is because I know it's a depressing story, and I wrote it during my state of... 'depression'. (Technically, but I don't refer to it as that anymore.) It's not that I'm afraid to look at it again, it's just there's so many memories associated with it, I'd rather let it rest before I continue it.**

 **Finally, A GRAND THANK YOU TO SO MANY PEOPLE. While I know this might sound stupid, I have to let you guys know that above all, you guys are the best thing since sliced bread. Through my tough times, I've seen lots of new writers (and old writers), spring up with new stories which all gave me something to smile about. It was kind of like a tether, something that kept me grounded while I was- for lack of a better term- losing it.**

 **To follow up this thank you, I would like to make a couple of honorable mentions and dedications. (Again, skip this if you want I won't take offense :D)**

 **1\. Striiker- While it has been a while since he updated, he's got a story out there called 'The Bunker'. It is incredibly well written, suspenseful and thrilling. Hope you come back soon and that your studies all go well! :)**

 **2\. EVAunit42- I would mention your current stories although I can't imagine anyone reading mine has never read yours before. But updates for Starco Academy, If I say I miss you, and the incredible series of one shots; There's always a star and a hoodie, have been prevalent in this community for a while. Thank you for being such an awesome person, and giving me the final go on this story that I needed.**

 **3\. GolfAlphaMike- Thank you so much for your support, it really meant a lot. I hope you update your story 'Starfall' soon, everyone is really anticipating the upcoming chapters!**

 **4\. H. Mae- I probably over vented my problems to you (well some of them), and I would really like to thank you for taking you time to listen to me ramble on. While she hasn't written anything SVTFOE related in a while, I encourage you guys to check out (if you haven't already) her Tumblr account where she posts fantastic drawings of many different shows.**

 **Alright that's enough of my randomness for one day, without** _ **any**_ **further ado, I present: the start of Something New. (Extra cheesy just for you guys!) :)**

 **Read, relax, rate and review!**

 **Even if I owned SVTFOE or anything related to it, I would deny it in fear of all the fans angry at the 8-10 month hiatus.**

* * *

 **Something New**

Star mashed the keyboard on her phone, desperately trying to send a message for help.

 _"SOS"_

 _"SOS!"_

 _"SOS!akkdjakakdjn"_

Her fingers trembled as the arrow disappeared on the brightly lit screen, indicating the message was indeed delivered.

She sighed in relief and peered (again) through the crack between the doors. A large room filled with beings moving in awkward motion as a hypnotic thudding sounded off in the background.

Yup, Prom night.

The night all the students from ECA had came to let loose and immerse themselves in. One magical night, to have the time of their lives before they were to part ways, possibly forever.

All except Marco Diaz.

Star pleaded with him to go. It was his last night to see most of his friends anyways, plus it could've been fun! There was a party, food, a popularity contest... What more could a teenager want?

 _"This teenager wants to be alone, OK? Besides, there's no point in me going. Jackie's gone, you're going to be with Oskar the entire time, I'll probably just end up being alone anyways, only with enough people around to judge me." He huffed before slamming his room door in her face._

Even his parents couldn't make him budge.

Star frantically searched for the other exit to the gym. It wasn't too far, if she could just sneak around the large groups of party goers, maybe she could stay inconspicuous long enough to avoid...

She shook her head. No. They would see her. _Everyone_ would see her, and then what? They'll make a commotion. She needed a distraction, something like...

"Ah-ha!" She exclaimed to herself quietly, pulling out her wand. Directing it at the ceiling, she muttered under her breath.

"Party Pump-up Fun Ball!"

A stream of rainbow light shot out her wand and connected with a hanging support beam along the gym's ceiling. A humongous disco ball promptly swung down, reflecting the assortment of lights that were hanging off of the walls.

Everyone instantaneously marveled at the sight.

Suddenly, the ball floated downwards, spinning, and then _growing_. Gasps could be heard from the crowd as the mirror ball dangerously expanded outwards.

"IT'S GONNA BLOW!" The children fled in random directions hoping to escape the blast radius.

And then the ball stopped growing. However, instead of exploding, a small compartment at the base opened up, showering the dance floor with glittery packages.

One brave soul stepped forward to examine the contents.

"HEY GUYS! IT'S CANDY!"

Cheers could be heard across the gymnasium as the crowd gathered at the site, intent on grabbing as much of the loot for themselves as possible.

Star snuck out the side door, completely unnoticed.

She exhaled softly upon observing the door behind her slam shut, throat no longer constricted by the dense gym atmosphere. But now, the chilled night air enveloped her being, sending goosebumps up her exposed arms and shoulders.

She hugged her shivering self. When would he get here? It's been, (she checked her phone), apparently not as long as she initially assumed. Two whole minutes. Oh! Now three.

Shoving her phone back into her purse, she began to stroll around the school grounds. It was night, once again, on the dimly lit premises of Echo Creek Academy. Shadows protruded from around every corner of her eye. Inescapable and foreboding, the darkness only seemed to creep up closer the further she wandered from the school.

The nighttime silence was only broken by the clicking of her heels on the solid concrete sidewalk.

She eventually crossed over to the far side of the building, there which sat a single bench illuminated by a streetlamp. Perfect to find some peace and quiet.

Upon sitting down, she thrust her purse to the side and planted her face in her hands.

"UGHH! I HATE HIM!" She screamed out into the void of space, her voice reverberated down the sleeping avenue.

What kind of guy does that? Seriously?! No _normal_ guy could ever possibly be such a rude, selfish, uncaring, absolutely egotistical piece of... of- bleagh!

Well, clearly Oskar Greason was 'no normal guy'.

How could he just go and... and do _**that**_ to her?

Was it her fault?

Was she not good enough?

Did he deserve someone better...?

Maybe she could've...

But even then...

" _... Why?_ " The only word she could force out.

Minutes passed, every thought cluttering her mind soon dissipated with each passing moment. All was calm.

Muffled footsteps suddenly came from behind her. Startled, she quickly jolted to her feet, attempting to locate the source of the shuffling.

A single streetlamp wasn't powerful enough to shield her from the encasing darkness.

"W-who's there?" Her voice cracked.

More footsteps. Closer this time.

"I-if this is a joke... th-this isn't funny!"

Even closer. Louder. Echoing into the night.

"Whoever you are! I should let you know that I'm armed!" Every ounce of courage poured into that statement. Grabbing her small star shaped purse off the bench she fumbled around, desperately searching for her wand.

"GET HER!" A high-pitched voice shrieked.

"Wait... Ludo-?" She looked up for a split second before a large body tackled her to the ground.

Her purse flew from her hand, and skidded into the shadows.

"Ugh-GET OFF OF ME!" Kicking and clawing at the mass on top of her, she furiously tried to escape, to no avail.

"Ha! Princess Butterfly, it would seem as though you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, LITERALLY!" Ludo cackled maniacally as he stepped forth into the beam of light.

"That wasn't clever or funny, Lu-dork." She retorted, still struggling.

"HA-HA!" Bearicorn was chuckling to himself in the distance. "Lu-dork..."

Ludo fired a death glare in the direction of his voice, shutting him up at once. "Hey! I'M the one who's got YOU pinned down, so I CRACK THE JOKES!"

"I'm not in the mood right now Ludo, I've got a lot on my plate!"

"Exactly! This was the most opportune time to strike!"

"Hold up... You were spying on me?!"

Ludo's expression fell into guilt, "Well, yes, but IT'S NOT WEIRD."

Star shot him a look of disgust.

"Whatever! SOMEONE JUST GRAB THE WAND!"

Silence.

"HEY! YOU IDIOTS! DO SOMETHING!"

Still nothing.

"Idiots-?" Ludo turned around.

"OOMPH!" To his surprise, an unconscious Deerbeard fell face first into the light, a large bump beginning to form between his antlers.

"Whu-?" Before he could register what was going on, Ludo was punted like a miniature football, screaming, into the dark abyss.

The large being lying atop Star, which was made out to be Buff Frog, looked around for his leader.

"Master Sir-?" Star took the opportunity to lift herself up with her hands, and drive an elbow into his face, freeing herself.

Frantically, Star scurried away to where her purse had landed, hoping to feel around in the darkness for the fabric. She hadn't noticed Buff Frog recover and begin charging at her.

"RAAAARGHH-OOF" He was forcefully sent flying to the side.

"C'mon c'mon," Star blindly brushed her hands along the ground feeling for the soft fabric of the purse on the cold pavement. "YES!" Successfully taking hold of the small bag by its strap, she plunged her hand into its contents.

Star pulled out her wand, aiming it at the sky, and yelled at the top of her lungs. "Mega Glow Stick Illumination!"

A pink zap of electricity shot its way out of the face of the wand and arced towards a point in space, before stopping and materializing an extremely dense, truck-sized glow stick, which proceeded to crash down onto the middle of the road, embedding itself in an asphalt crater, and setting car alarms off everywhere.

But, at least she could see now.

Her eyes eventually refocused to scan the confusing scenery. Ludo's minions lay disoriented and in suffering around the area, their groans of pain cutting through the annoying honking of neighbourhood vehicles. Ludo himself was stuck tangled in the branches of a distant tree.

Amidst the chaos stood a familiar Latino boy, shielding himself from where the enormous yellow glowing block had landed no more than 3 feet from him. His distinct red hoodie acting as a beacon of comfort and hope as her eyes fell upon it.

"Marco-? How did you-?" Star was clearly astonished by how he had managed to take out an entire army in the dark.

He rushed to her side, preventing her from finishing that thought. "Star! Are you okay? I-I got your text, a-and I drove here as fast as I could, but when I parked I heard something going on over here so I-" his stammering cut short when she yanked him into a hug.

* * *

Some time passed. Ludo and his minions eventually made their usual inglorious retreat back to their dimension, the damage caused by Star's magic was poofed away, and the chaotic night reverted back to peace.

Star and Marco sat in silence on the bench beneath the lone streetlamp.

"Sooo... Wanna tell me what happened?" Ah, the inevitable question. "Obviously, you didn't spam text 'SOS' because of Ludo."

Star sighed. She didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to say anything! All she wanted was him to come, pick her up, bring her home, and let her be _**alone**_. But looking into his eyes, sparkling beneath the soft illumination, all that inhibition melted away.

"I-I don't know- there was- and then- AUGH!" Marco slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Her head rested in his neck.

"Start from the beginning, I'm here to listen."

She inhaled a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she faintly recounted what had happened not long ago.

* * *

 _(About an hour ago)_

 _"Yeaaahhh I'm just waiting for Oskarrr~" Star replied absentmindedly as a confused Janna walked past her, shaking her head._

 _"Okay byeeee!" She waved energetically. Wow, so many people must've really cared about her, that was probably the... 17th person to ask what she was doing there._

 _She stood by the entrance to the gym, leaning on the support post for the door. The time was 7:45pm. While the dance had begun almost 2 hours ago, and she was reaaaally anxious to go in, there was still plenty of time before the real party started. And so she stood there, waiting._

 _The theme for the night was 'Royal Ball'. Fitting for a princess such as herself, considering she was on the Prom committee and all. However, despite it being her suggestion, she would've preferred the rejected Jurassic Park or Halloween themes she had also proposed. At least then there would definitely be more candy, plus she could dress up all monstery-like, so it would be a win-win._

 _Star still didn't quite understand that Halloween was just a holiday, not a random event where she got free sugar._

 _But the committee settled on 'Royal Ball' theme. Which was fair enough, she had thousands of dresses tailor made for her back in Mewni so at the very least she definitely had something to wear. Not to mention this wasn't her first formal 'Ball' event she had attended._

 _A teal and seafoam green dress. While she initially opted for classic pink, it was ultimately decided against. Besides, this dress was magnificent on its own. The bodice was a glittery green scoop neck which wrapped around her waist, supported by two thin straps over her shoulders. Laced in the back, the dress fit snugly around her body and poured downwards. The skirt was a frilly material, intertwining green and teal fabric as it flowed down to the floor like a caribbean ocean, covering her legs, along with her matching seafoam green heels._

 _She impatiently rocked back and forth, awaiting Oskar's entrance. They had been 'dating' for practically 3 months now. While she was used to his carefree attitude, it wouldn't hurt to show a_ _ **bit**_ _of punctuality._

 _Just one of the many things she admired about him, she supposed._

 _"Hey Star, it's nearly 8 o'clock. Food's gonna be here soon, you coming or what?" She turned around to see Ferguson and Alfonso. They had both cleaned up pretty nice, sporting matching tuxedos and bowties, hair slicked back, and each reeking of cologne._

 _"Nah I'm good, Oskar's gonna be here aaaany minute!"_

 _The two gave each other a concerned glance. "Okaaaay," Ferguson said in disbelief, "me and Alfonso here are gonna get our fill so we aren't hungry when we go lady hunting. Y'know, the desperate ones who get stood up or dumped by jerks." He added with a brow wiggle. "Peace!" The two disappeared into the crowd._

 _Star turned back to face the hallway. He was coming. Anytime now. He'd be here, and everything was going to be perfect!_

 _Suddenly, a pair of headlights shone through the front door. The left one flickered slightly upon the car's arrival, which sputtered its way into the parking lot._

 _"Ooooh! Oskar's heeeereeee!" She jumped up and down, anticipation flooding her heart._

 _When the main school doors flew open, she felt her smile drop to the floor._

 _It wasn't the fact that he was so underwhelmingly underdressed for the occasion. Nor the fact he brought his keytar to_ _ **yet**_ _ **another**_ _social event. Even being late in general she had already overlooked. No. It was his face. And how it was attached to someone else's._

 _He was making out with- with some random girl that she had never even seen before!_

 _Star threw herself into the crowd before they could notice her. Dodging partygoers, decorations, chairs and tables that littered the gym floor, she managed to weave her way to the far side of the gym and dive into the sports equipment storage room._

 _Her mind was absolutely distraught. On one hand she wanted to cry, on the other she wanted to burn the entire building down. She was enraged, no she was sad. Scared? Confused. Lonely... Vengeful! She needed out. She needed to get out and get away._

 _Star instinctively reached for her purse. She needed-_

* * *

 _(Present)_

"You." Star managed to choke out. Grabbing a fistful of his hoodie, she threw her face into the fabric, sobbing wildly.

Marco could only shake his head. This was totally an 'I-told-you-so' moment, he had warned her that Oskar was nothing but trouble, but Marco didn't want to be that kind of friend. Instead, he remained silent, holding her close, stroking her hair until she had calmed down.

It was quite a while before he finally spoke.

"It's hard to believe how small everything is..."

Star looked up at him. His vision had wandered to the stars above.

Her voice caught in her throat. "Wh- *hic* -what do you mean?"

"I mean it's odd to think that any of this even matters. We're just a small speck, a tiny insignificant being in the immense universe. It's hard to believe that anything out there really cares about us."

"I guess..." There was a short pause.

"Y'know, when I was a kid, I used to believe in higher powers, er-God." He corrected himself, sensing Star's confusion. "That there was some guardian deity up there looking out for me."

"Well, what happened?"

"I dunno, I guess I kinda just... grew up. Maybe I relied too heavily on the idea for so much of my childhood, it was difficult to understand that I played any role in my own life, let alone had an impact on others. Instead, I was some plaything for a puppet master known as destiny. Life... kinda held no purpose."

"So how about now? What do you believe in?" She suddenly became intrigued by his blathering.

"I believe in people. That it's people like us who shape who we are to become as society, whether for better or worse. That we control everything within our power, and that we have a responsibility to remain true to our morals. Morality in of itself is a real mystery gift. No one knows if it is by nature or nurture that we feel sympathy for the dying, or guilt when we cheat. But people take it for granted. Some even exploit it. However, there are always certain individuals who give nothing but undying love to those around them, thinking not for themselves, but the benefit to others. They could be common, they could be rare. All I know is, this proves that in the microscopic lives we share, we do have the potential to create our own happiness, our own future, our own _destiny_."

Star gazed at him in wonder. "That-... That was great and all but, what does it have to do with any of this?"

Marco shrugged. "Probably not much, but it sure stopped you from crying." He smiled down at her. A grin twitched upon her lips.

She snuggled her head further into his chest. "Thanks Marco." Such a nonsensical conversation, yet it made her feel... better...

He lifted up his watch. "Hey, it's only 8:53, if we hurry back inside maybe we can still catch the crowning of Prom King and Queen." He gestured towards the building.

"I thought you didn't wanna go to Prom?" She stared at him incredulously.

"I said I didn't want to go to Prom _alone_."

Star grinned at his words. "And who exactly is the _Safe Kid_ going with?"

"I thought it was implied that it was you-"

"Upupupup.. Nope! I never even agreed to go with you!" She was toying with him, like a kitten occupied with a ball of yarn.

"Fine," he relented, "do you wanna go with me?"

Star looked taken aback. "Oh I'm sorry, do I want to go with you _to where?_ " His mind clicked where this was going.

Lifting himself off of the bench, he lowered a single knee to the pavement.

"Ahem- Star Butterfly?" Appealing the most sincere smile to her.

"Yes, Marco Diaz?" Fake haughtiness garnished her tone.

"Will you do me the honour of accompanying me to the Echo Creek Academy Prom?"

"Ummm, I don't think so."

 _This_ absolutely rattled Marco. "Are you kidding me?! After all that? Why not?"

"Well, for one, you can't go in dressed like that!" Again, she had played him like a record.

"What? This is classic 'red-hoodie' stuff! I mean, c'mon who even cares? It's just-" he stopped himself realizing the uphill battle he was no doubt going to lose. "Yeah okay fine. But I gotta go home and change first."

Star rolled her eyes. "Nope! Just close your eyes and-"

"Woah woah woah, I told you I hate it when you change my clothes with magic!"

"Relaaaax, I'm much better at this now!" She waved him off while fishing for her wand inside her purse.

"But-"

"No buts." She put a finger to his lips, shushing him. "Now, close your eyes."

A bright pulse of pink light wrapped around the couple.

* * *

 **So obviously this story will be continued. But the funny thing is, this story is already finished.**

 **Yep.**

 **It's ready to be all released.**

 **But I won't.**

 **Because I'm evil! :)**

 **Not really. I actually finished this story a while ago, however I'm releasing it in parts because it was originally an 8000+ word one shot. I know that would be a lot to take in, even through chapter separation, so instead of being a jerk and making you read hours worth of fluff and romance I'm going to draw it out over the course of a week or two!**

 **Okay so a bit evil.**

 **Nonetheless, you can be sure to see an update from this story eventually, while I'm not fully back to this whole writing scene, I am definitely trying.**

 **And as always, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated, you guys are probably the best thing that's happened to me this entire summer. :)**


	2. Flames

**Fun fact: I've never been to a Prom before. Yep. Perks of being a Canadian.**

 **Heya folks it's Watermalone here with installment number two of Something New! (Wut does that even mean?)**

 **As always, before we begin I must sing songs of praise to every single one of you amazing readers, raters, and reviewers! (Not actually sing I don't want to cause the next mass extinction... I'm that bad.) I seriously did not expect that within a single week, a sliver of this grand one shot would get so much attention! To anyone who followed, faved, reviewed or even just read the first chapter thank you SOOOO MUCH! I was a bit on edge with regards to making a decent comeback, but now I feel confident with this story being taken a step further than what I had anticipated.**

 **Onto reviews! Replies, away! *Jumps face first into a brick wall***

 **A suuuuper special thanks to EVAunit42: No need to be humbled, own up to it! You're an awesome person and I can never thank you enough for being there for me! Yes, poor Star, if only she had listened to Marco. Oh lucky you, at least you had a Prom. My high school doesn't do Proms (because Canada), and so all we had was a graduation dinner. People still had "dates" but I didn't, mostly because I'm a sore strike-out (I never asked anyone either), but also because my friend got rejected by his crush and I decided on trying to keep him from doing something ridiculously stupid that night. Also the poofy dress... Will not make an appearance because I don't wanna disrupt the atmosphere but I admit it would totally be in the right alley of the writers at Disney. The speech did have a bit of my flavor, although not completely, I stole a couple lines from my more philosophical friends.**

 **heaventide: OKAY THEN PLZ READ FIRST I WILL WAIT KTHNXBYE**

 **H Mae: Yes I am so glad to be back! Sorry I didn't mean to intrude, but I needed something to mention regarding your line of work at the time... And then you proceeded to release Moon's Lullaby and oh my dear lord how I melted. Anyways thanks for the review, glad you liked it!**

 **Guest (1):** _ **"What is love~ baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more~"**_

 **xboxrica: I'M SORRY IT WAS A LAST SECOND DECISION PLEASE DON'T KILL ME HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it!**

 **Rayfe: I didn't mention that she did, but I would love to see that happen!** _ **Marco: "Well at least this time it matches my eyes."**_ **All while Star is rolling on the floor laughing.**

 **Guest (2): *puts hand on shoulder* BRUH.**

 **lost: Thank you, glad you're enjoying it!**

 **Exotos135: Error 404 Starco found. Implementing Defense Protocol 11925. Self destruct sequence initiated. Total meltdown imminent.**

 **meep101: Oooooookaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy**

 **For your daily SVTFOE news, I am so glad to announce that firstly, we have EVAunit42's next installment of** _ **If I say I miss you will you come back.**_ **Second would be another chapter for** _ **The Diaz Family Road Trip**_ **by Unluckywrites, next would be a new chapter in the** _ **A Season of Star VS**_ **by Kieran Wespell, and finally all the amazing updates of one shots brought to you by PFTones3482 in her amazing collection:** _ **The Princess and the Safe Kid**_ **. Be sure to check out every single one of them, I sure did!**

 **So yes, this is chapter two. One note I shall make before we begin, this one is gonna be partially classified as songfic (I don't mean to shove my music taste down your throats). The song is called Hold On by the one and only Canadian crooner (and international heart melter), Michael Bublé. I'm a huuuuge fan of his songs and for all of you guys reading this, I strongly recommend you listen to the song. I'm not even kidding, just.. when the part of the song comes on (paragraph centred, italicized print, you'll be able to tell), just listen to it while reading. It will be** _ **magical.**_ **Or don't honestly I'm not offended either way haha.**

 **Long spiel over, let's get on with it! Without further ado, I present chapter 2, mush ahoy!**

 **The day I own both the song** _ **Hold On**_ **by Michael Bublé and SVTFOE will be the day that the entertainment industry has fallen. Like I said, I'm** _ **that**_ **bad.**

* * *

"And now, your Prom Queen of the year is..." A drum rolled in the background as Principal Skeeves tore open a shiny gold envelope. "Brittney Wong!"

The girl strutted her way onto the stage and ripped the silver tiara and microphone from the man's hands.

"All hail your awesome beloved Queen!" She shouted into the crowd.

A single exasperated "Yay" was emitted from an otherwise apathetic crowd.

"Ahem-" Principal Skeeves cleared his throat before removing the mic from her grip. Reaching behind him he lifted up the next crown. A taller, much more hefty looking gold crown which was studded in multicolored (plastic) jewels. "And," he began to tear open the next envelope, "your Prom _King_ for this year is..."

Star and Marco quietly burrowed their way through to the middle of the crowd.

"No surprise there, Brittney winning Prom Queen." Star muttered to Marco.

"Hey, you're the only _real_ Queen in this entire school." Realizing what he had just said could easily be misinterpreted, he quickly tried to cover his tracks. "Y'know, 'cause you're a Mewnian princess, and you actually have a crown and you're gonna be a Queen someday and-and I'll just... stop..."

She gave him a playful shove in response. "You're such a dork." Their eyes met for a fraction of a moment. At once, they averted each other's glances, cheeks hinting red.

Loud cheering erupted from their surroundings, disrupting the moment. A muscular blonde jock sprinted up the stage, arms raised in success as he took the crown from the principal and shouted into the mic.

"WOOOHOOO! I AM KING!"

"Huh," Marco began, "I guess Justin got Prom King."

Star giggled to herself, obviously amused by her own thoughts.

"What's so funny?"

"Ohhh nothing," she leaned up to him mischievously, "I was just thinking about some _real kings._ Y'know, like on _Mewwwniii_?"

"Um... What?" Nearly four years since they had met and he still never quite understood how she kept that circus she called a mind sane.

"Well in order for someone to become a _king_ on Mewni, they would have to become married to the _Queen_ of Mewni."

"I-I don't follow." Rather, he was concerned that he _did_ understand the implication.

"You said that _I'm_ the only real Queen here, so where's my _real king_?"

Within seconds of processing her statement, his thoughts became fuzzy, his limbs became numb, his breath short, and his heart pounded furiously, threatening to explode out his ribcage.

"W-wh-what?" Sweat dripped down the back of his neck.

Star raised an eyebrow out of concern. "Geez, calm down Diaz, it was just a joke. You seemed like you were gonna have a heart attack there."

Heart attack? No. More like an attacked heart. He was used to being nervous when it came to subjects regarding romance, marriage and love, but with Star, he just felt...he felt...

Star had diverted her attention to Justin and Brittney sharing the traditional King and Queen's dance, and Marco couldn't help but admire how beautiful she looked standing next to him.

After the scuffle outside, she had changed her dress entirely. No longer a slightly battle worn seafoam green, the dress was dyed a deep red with pink streaks which glittered beneath the dimmed lights. Her soft pale skin appeared to be glowing, her golden hair cascaded down her back, eyes like endless pools of liquid aquamarine..

With Star, he felt _butterflies._

His demented mind was pulled out of its trance when he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"When's it our turn to dance?" She eagerly inquired.

Marco blinked twice. "Star we have to wait until the first dance is-"

He lost her at the word 'wait'.

"Nope!" She directed her wand at the spotlight overhanging Brittney and Justin.

"Star, no- YOU CAN'T-" It was too late, a burst of pink light, and the spotlight was forcibly locked onto Star and Marco.

Everyone in the gym went deathly quiet, retreating from the couple, as though the spotlight would vaporize them if they got too close. The two stood alone.

Whispering amongst the crowd hammered their eardrums.

" _Uh-oh_."

"Oooh Star and Marco huh?"

"I _totally_ bet on them getting together."

"They are _so_ dead..."

"Omigosh! Her dress is so pretty!"

"Way to go _Marco_ ~"

"They look so cuhhyuute together!"

However, one shrill voice sounded anything but amused by the incident.

"STAR BUTTERFLY! YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!"

Like a raging bull, a red-faced Brittney came charging through the crowd, tossing aside students and faculty alike until she came face to face with the princess.

"Woah... Sorry Brittney, I didn't mean to-"

"YOU AND YOUR STUPID LITTLE MEXICAN FRIEND RUIN EVERYTHING! YOU BOTH _ALWAYS_ RUIN EVERYTHING! TONIGHT WAS ABOUT ME AND HOW GREAT I AM! AND YOU- YOU- AUGHHH!" She stamped her heel in frustration, denting the hardwood floor.

Justin finally paved his way over to her.

"Yo, Brittney, calm down you're gonna-"

"Don't. Ever. Tell me. TO CALM DOWN!" His face was completely disheveled after the verbal lashing. "That's IT! I'M LEAVING! I HATE YOU, I HATE EVERYONE, AND I HOPE. YOU ALL. DIE!"

With that, she tore the silver tiara off her head, hurled it to the ground, thus smashing it to pieces, and stormed out the gymnasium.

Only an awkward silence ensued. Justin turned to face Marco.

"Sorry bro. She's psycho. I'm- I'm going to go calm... her down." He winced at the thought, as if he were already enduring the anticipated pain. "Here, you can have this."

This time removing his own crown, he placed it somewhat lopsided atop Marco's head. Giving a sly wink and a double pistol gesture towards the two, he sprinted off bravely in the direction of the emotional maelstrom.

Star, along with everyone else, stood there, mouths agape at what they had just witnessed.

She shook her head. "Should I-"

Marco thrust an arm in front of her. "No. No you shouldn't." It was as though he read her mind. Distant screaming could be heard echoing through the hallways, followed by the sound of glass shattering.

"So..." Her voice trailed off.

"What now?" Again, _mind reader._ "I don't know. I guess Prom's over." He shrugged.

Right on cue, music began blaring through the speakers lining the stage, freezing everyone in their tracks. It was a slow-dance song.

"This one goes out to the NEW Prom King and Queen!" The crowd glanced upwards to see Ferguson and Alfonso occupying the DJ station, both smiling devilishly at the couple beneath the spotlight. "LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GORGEOUSLY STUNNING STAR BUTTERFLY AND MAH MAIN MAN MARCOOOO DIAZ!"

 _Didn't they always say we were the lucky ones?_

 _I guess that we were once, babe, we were once._

 _But luck will leave you 'cause it is a faithless friend._

 _And in the end, when life has got you down, you've got someone here that you can wrap your arms around._

"Heh, those guys." Marco flushed red upon feeling the pressure of everyone's eyes upon them. "They totally would..."

Star stared at him quizzically. "They totally would what?"

"Um-erm- n-nothing." He tugged on the collar of his shirt. "They're just... dorks.. ha... ha."

"Oh COME ON ALREADY!" An restless voice called from the center of the crowd.

"Start dancing!" Another chirp from the audience.

Marco looked as though he was going to sweat through his shirt. There was so much tension, and he was clearly confused and scared, yet he looked just so darn cute when he got flustered.

"Marco, it's okay. You don't have to-"

"No. I-" He managed to pull himself together, and take a step towards her. "I do."

Automatically, her heart skipped a beat. This tall, handsome, muscular boy was mere inches from her. Dressed in the sleek black tux with the matching slacks and vest she had changed him into, he donned the appearance of regality and nobility, no longer the boyish awkwardness she had become so accustomed to over the years. Between his shoulders sat a brilliant red bowtie.

She inhaled deeply, allowing the musky scent that radiated off his body to reserve her sense of smell. His deep brown eyes slowly intoxicated her mind, forcing her to struggle to remain attached to reality. Everything was as though it had been dragged out of a fantasy.

She felt her spine tingle as he grasped her hands. "Star," her breath hitched when he murmured her name. "May I have this dance?"

Her mind raced at thousands of miles per second. Why did she feel this way? What was making everything about this so... perfect? Could... Could it be... love? Did she... love... Marco?

Now more than ever, she didn't need answers. Lifting his hands with hers, she leaned in close and wrapped her arms around his neck, softly whispering back to him.

"Yes Marco, I would be honoured."

The music continued playing as Marco felt his hands lower onto her back and snake their way to her waist.

 _There's a thousand ways for things to fall apart,_

 _But it's no one's fault. No it's not my fault._

 _And maybe all the plans we make might not work out._

 _But I have no doubt, even though it's hard to see._

 _I've got faith in us, and I believe in you and me._

Star closed her eyes as she allowed her head to rest upon his chest. When he held her, she felt so safe in his arms, so _warm_. His heart beat softly into her ear, melting her deeper into his clutches.

 _So hold on~ to me tight,_

 _Hold on,_

 _I promise it'll be alright._

 _'Cause it's you and me together,_

 _And baby all we've got is time_

 _So hold onto me,_

 _Hold onto me tonight._

Marco was well past words. He couldn't describe coherently what he was feeling. It was all... _so real_. As though he had been lying to himself his entire life, the truth finally released from its cage deep in his heart.

This girl. This one crazy, weird, random, danger-loving, pro-fighting, unicorn-taming, jail-breaking, magic-spelling, dimension hopping, nacho-munching...

 _ **Girl**_ _._

He had never imagined... All this time, his best friend was, above of all things, a girl. One that he loved more than any other he had before. And all it took was a lone bench beneath a small street lamp for him to realize it.

 _There's so many dreams that we have given up_

 _Take a look at all we've got._

 _And with this kind of love,_

 _And what we've got here is_

 _Enough._

 _So,_

 _Hold on~ to me tight_

 _Hold on_

 _I promise it'll be alright._

 _'Cause we are stronger here together_

 _Than we could ever be alone._

 _Just hold onto me,_

 _Don't you ever let me go~_

The end was coming. Star looked up at her partner, his gaze meeting hers.

Ferguson and Alfonso's voices boomed from above, shocking the two back to their senses.

"Well don't just stand there, KISS HER!"

The crowd chanted along. "Kiss. Kiss! KISS! KISS!" Star shyly turned away. She felt Marco's fingers relax from her waist.

 _Hold onto me,_

 _It's gonna be alright,_

His hand lifted to cup her chin, and turn her head to face him. One last time, he found himself lost in her twinkling ocean blue eyes.

And pressed his lips to hers.

 _Hold onto me,_

 _Tonight._

They both melted into sweet bliss. Passionate yet hungry for more, he felt her bite his lower lip. He reciprocated by dragging his free hand up her spine, causing her to shiver and tighten her grasp around his neck. Pushing herself against him. Begging for more. Tongues dancing, eyes shut, electricity coursing through their veins, they desperately fought to remain in their embrace.

What felt like several eternities passed before...

Panting for air, their lips finally parted.

 _Didn't they always say, we were the lucky ones._

It was over. The song faded away its final chords, purifying the atmosphere of the hazy romantic drug.

Marco's ears rang inside his head. His mind felt like it had been clouded by fog making it difficult to discern the shouts and cheers of joy that filled the gymnasium.

He slowly opened his eyes, somewhat surprised that the lights had been turned back up to blind him. Blinking, he returned focus onto the girl he held so close.

Star was speechless. Rare for such an excitable girl such as her. Her eyes sparkled with a blissful afterglow, but her cheeks were flushed with confusion and anxiety.

Her arms, still wrapped around his neck, continued to tug downwards.

And then, a smile. Even as small and subtle as it appeared, it was as though heaven's gates had been opened, pouring out a brilliant white light, almost lifting Marco off his feet.

The kiss was definitely good. With that in mind, relief flooded his heart, soothing the pit of nervousness that plagued his gut, calming the storm of emotions that raged in his mind.

And he could still taste sugar.

* * *

 **Woo! Yes that happened!**

 **Ahem. Also references. Pretty obvious as to what but again, it's just so gosh darn cute!**

 **So as I said, this story has been well past completion for a while now, and so with that in mind, I'll let you guys in on a little secret. In the works currently is a brand new set of projects I have lined up for the future. As to what they are, I shall not reveal but I assure you, audience dearest, that I am keeping busy with writing. I expect you will catch wind of these projects in the near future, so you have that to look forward to!**

 **And as always, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated, and we shall meet back next week for the final installment of this story! It might seem like it's over, but who doesn't want to see aftermath? C'mon be serious.**


	3. Embers

**Canadian thanksgiving weekend... You know what I'm thankful for? An extra day off classes to do more writing!**

 **Oh dear that sounded ungrateful... Heya folks it's Watermalone here with the FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS STORY! As small as it was, it's the first entire story that I've finished writing front to back and I gotta say, it feel great!**

 **Okay so maybe it's not that impressive of a feat, but as a first time writer, I'm pretty happy with my progress. One thing you should know about me, if anything, is that I'm not a writer. I regret saying this, but I didn't spent a lot of my adolescence reading or writing, and as a result, I'm relatively illiterate compared to a lot of the amazing writers in this community. Nevertheless, I'm forcing myself to become more versed in my writing style, and I've definitely been making an effort in at least picking up one or two books in my spare time.**

 **Alright, enough boredom! You guys obviously don't need to hear my life story, so here are reviews!**

 **An especially special thank you to the one and only EVAunit42: Haha I'm sorry you're gonna have to live without the poofy dress. Oh man, that song so super cheesy, it out-cheeses Marco's nachos! But I love Michael Bublé, his music never does me wrong. Ninja humble bots, activate! *A bunch of mini Canadian ninja robots poof out of thin air* Yeah, I actually have zero knowledge of what goes on during Prom aside from what television and movies have taught me.**

 **xboxrica: Thank so much, I'm really glad you've enjoyed the story up to this point. Here's hoping the aftermath is a hit with you too!**

 **The Unnamed: Haha I love how you caught the reference, I seriously wrote it with the same thought in my head. It's gotta be British. But then again, Ferguson does have red hair... He very well could be Irish! (Dear god what is Irish Ferguson even?)**

 **CelticReaper: *Raises broom in the air* READ ALL THE STARCO!**

 **Guest (1): 'Twas adorable indeed, I'm such a Starco junkie!**

 **Guest (2): OH MY GOSH THANK YOU I LOVE THAT YOU LOVED THIS AHHHHHH!**

 **Guest (3): Haha it was pretty cheesy, but c'mon, when it's a heart-melty moment like that, how can one not use such cheese?**

 **FanfictionForDayz: Spit take win! Haha I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, perhaps Star was a bit more bold than she thought she was *wink wink*. Thanks for your support!**

 **heaventide: IT'S OKAY THANKS FOR REVIEWING, YOU'RE WAY TOO AWESOME BUT DON'T FALL OFF OF CHAIRS FOR ME THAT'S DANGEROUS. ALSO YOUR SISTER CANNOT JUDGE YOU BECAUSE I HONESTLY DID THE SAME THING WHILE I WAS WRITING AND EVERYONE AROUND ME WAS LIKE "WHY ARE YOU SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT?"**

 **H Mae: Ahhh nooo don't evaporate you still need to read the last chapter! *Throws stacks of paper into the air* Where's Mr. E's vacuum when you need it? Yep she did. Much glob...**

 **acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks for the support! Glad that you're enjoying the story!**

 **Business matter number two! The stupendous installments of other authors! First of all, a HUUUUUGE must-read would be EVAunit42's finale of** _ **If I say I miss you, will you come back?**_ **It has been a long journey for him, and it's finally come to a close. If you haven't checked it out already (although I can't imagine why), I** _ **highly**_ **recommend you do, it's... just beautiful. Also in his arsenal is a new series of one shots in his collection** _ **There's always a star and a hoodie.**_ **Next up would be PFTones3482, she's got a few more one shots in** _ **The Princess and the Safe Kid**_ **, not to mention her brand new series** _ **Star vs. the Forces of Marco.**_ **Third, FanfictionForDayz has got a new chapter going in the series** _ **Until You Realize**_ **. Also Sir GolfAlphaMike is** _ **NOT**_ **dead and has come back with another chapter in** _ **Starfall**_ **. Finally on the chopping block is Irritus185's set of one shots** _ **Of Magical Wands and Safety Helmets.**_ **All gorgeously written and definitely worth a read for the modern day Starco trash like myself.**

 **And with that being said here is the final chapter of Something New. It's been a long time coming, but, without further ado, I present chapter three;** _ **Embers.**_ **Relax, read, rate and review.**

 **Okay Disney, so I can't own SVTFOE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I OWN** _ **THIS**_ **STORY SO HA! ... Well that was extremely pathetic. It also somehow made me feel worse about my existence... *sniff*...**

* * *

An old school janitor lazily swept piles of streamers and balloons to the side, adding to the massive collection in the corner.

Hours had passed since the music had stopped playing. All the students had been escorted out the gym by parents and staff alike, in anticipation of attending the post-prom party.

Marco and Star, however, had stayed behind, adamant about going to another event, as their minds were still quite muddled by the residual emotions entailed by the dance. Not to mention, _the kiss._

Marco looked to his left. There she sat, twiddling her thumbs nervously, still probably trying to comprehend the last two hours. Even he wasn't too sure what had exactly happened.

It was as though his mind wasn't in control of his body. He couldn't understand why, but allowing himself to let go like that felt scary... but at the same time... _amazing_. The idea of being in love with his best friend was _exciting_. Perhaps it was because of the countless adventures they shared, or the thousands of hours they had spent, simply enjoying each other's company. Perhaps... it was something even more.

What was it about her that made him feel the way he did? Or rather, rhetorically, _what didn't?_ The way she always saw the bright side of life, constantly trying to spread happiness to those around her, or the fact that she was constantly goofing around, trying to get him to be more outgoing and fun loving, her 'upbeat and lively' personality showing off every time she laughed, somehow always forcing a small tinge of blush to caress his cheek.

She was unbelievably strong; they had faced hard times together, and every time he saw her in pain, his heart broke a little. There was something about her that he lived to protect. From the day they met, he deemed part of his existence to keep her safe, no matter the cost. A promise, that he would sacrifice anything and everything to see her smile one more time...

Marco opened his mouth to speak, but no such words came out. The mind could be quite the cruel mistress.

Star, on the other hand, was faring no better.

She had always dreamed, even as a little girl, to one day meet the man of her dreams. He would be courageous; willing to put his life on the line to defend the innocent. He would be smart, intelligent and freethinking, determined to understand philosophy and purpose. He had to be loving. Show compassion and empathy to the suffering. Also cute, he had to be cute. (She made this list when she was ten, give her a break.)

But what about Marco? She had never considered him to be more than a best friend. For good reason too. They spent nearly four years together. Four beautiful, magical, perfect years. They had grown so much together, physically and mentally, that he felt like a part of her. No matter where one went, the other would always be welcome to tag along. It was out of pure trust that they would never intentionally change anything in their relationship.

And yet, there he was. Courageous; he was always by her side, eager to protect her from relentless monster attacks. Smart? Of course, he always had the top grades in the household, not to mention he could definitely hold an intelligent conversation (she couldn't say the same for any of the princes she had met before). Compassionate? Caring? Kind? Yes, yes, and more yes. Cuteness... Her mind instantly recalled the image of him standing in front of her as they slow danced not more than two hours ago, causing her heart to flutter at the idea. Maybe a _little._

He was the very definition of perfection. No matter how many times he felt down and out about Jackie years ago, she always cheered him on because _she knew_ that Marco was a great guy. The only person who didn't believe that was him. And this pained her. Such a pure and amazing soul like his didn't deserve to be hurt. She wanted to protect him. To shield him. As if self-esteem were a physical barrier, she would willingly reinforce it anyway she could. She cared about him too much to see him fall.

Maybe it was out of sheer spontaneity. It could've been just the heat of the moment. Pressing eyes, peer pressure, even social convention... all excuses she framed upon her actions. But one thing she couldn't explain:

Why did it feel... _so right?_

"Marco..?" She spoke delicately.

He was still lost in thought. It appeared as though he was staring at where they had danced earlier, only, something was different.

Longing.

"Hey, Marco?"

His mind returned to the present. "Yeah?"

"About the- um... y'know.."

"The dance?" She flinched at his bluntness.

"Ahem- yeah... th-the dance."

Marco sighed. He knew it was too good to be true. She would tell him that it was an accident. That she was feeling vulnerable after being hurt by Oskar, that he was a great guy and all but she didn't want to be more than friends. Or the classic 'I'm not ready to move on', and that 'he deserved someone better'.

'Someone better'. An impossibility that he scoffed at. He didn't want anyone else anymore. He wanted her.

Clenching his jaw, he braced for the worst.

"It's n-not that I didn't enjoy it.. Er-rather it was great! I just-"

"It's okay. I understand." He shied away, afraid she would detect the hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Y-you do?" It was hard to believe he understood all the things that she _didn't_ say.

"Yeah.. I mean... I guess I was expecting a bit too much, and I didn't wanna put you in an awkward position, and I swear this will never happen again. I was just.. _._ "

She was afraid of where this was going. "Marco... I-"

"No it's cool... I get it. Honestly. You don't have to console me or anything. If anything, I'm always happy for you. And... this won't change anything. I'll still always be there for you."

Her mind was a melting pot of raw emotions.

"No... you don't understand..."

"Understand what?" Rage bubbled in his voice. "That I'm an idiot for thinking that I had a chance with you? That I had the audacity to- to... do... what I did back there? No. I completely get it and..." He choked on the last words. "I'm sorry... Alright?"

Every word punctured her heart. "Stop! Please, listen to me!"

He remained unresponsive, unmoving.

"Marco!" Grabbing his shoulder, she forcefully twisted him around his seat, focusing his field of view on her.

"Wha-" He protested.

"No! It's not like that at all!" She was on the verge of tears. "I wanted to say that I'm just..." She couldn't bring herself to say the words. It was too much.

Marco saw the water forming between her eyes instantly felt his expression soften. Placing a hand overtop hers, he nodded for her to continue.

She drew a deep breath. It was like the clichéd 'ripping-off-a-bandaid' moment. Take the brunt of the pain and suffering for a few moments rather than torture yourself by slowly dragging it along... Right?

"I'm just... SO CONFUSED!" Her sudden outburst slightly offset him. "I don't know what I'm feeling Marco, I-I know we're best friends, a-and, I'm afraid! OK? I said it.. I'm scared!" She didn't mean to sound upset, but this was no longer her mind in authority.

"Marco, I think... I think I love you.." She continued before he could process that statement. "I do... I really do it's just... I want this to work... _So bad_ because... You're a great guy, and even though I never thought about you in that way before... Being with you... Feels so... _Perfect..._ "

Marco was stunned by this sudden turnaround.

Star's tone grew in confidence. "But after what happened with Oskar, and then having this sudden revelation, I'm scared that I'm just going to get hurt again. I'm not even sure if I _should_ love you! Is-is it wrong for best friends to be in love..?"

This was something he definitely could answer.

"I honestly don't know. But... all I know is... after dancing with you, and y'know, the _other thing,_ I've never felt so alive before. It's like I've been living encapsulated my entire life, never once seeing the light. And when... _that_ happened, it was like opening my eyes for the first time. I've never understood love, but I know first and foremost, I care about you. A-and I could never er- I _would_ never do anything to hurt you."

Her lips curled into a smile. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah... Really."

"Thanks.. Marco... You don't know how much that means to me to hear you say that."

"Um... Don't mention it." Giggling, they shrugged off some tension. It was regained by the following awkward pause.

"So..." Star began, "I didn't know you were *ahem* such a good kisser."

This sent Marco's cheeks in a heated frenzy. "Y-yeah well... Beginner's l-luck I sup-p-pose... Um... You were very good too... nice... technique and... stuff..."

"Too soon?"

He coughed out a breath of relief. "Too soon."

They glanced in opposite directions. More awkward silence.

Star looked back in his direction. Why was she so confused? Wouldn't it just be so easy to just tell him she loved him? Why did she have to go and say that there was a part of her that didn't know? She knew full well her current feelings for him. So where did this doubt stem from? It didn't take a genius to understand that Marco obviously felt the same way about her, there was no need for this drama. If she wanted to she could just lean over, grab his dorky plush face and smooch him up, right then and there.

Well.. why not?

"Hey, Marco?"

He turned to face her. "Mhm?"

"Can I see something?"

He stood up. The last time she said that she turned his head into a dog's head. It lasted for a week.

"What, exactly?"

"Oh nothing bad," she lifted herself off the chair as well, holding her hands behind her back, legs crossed, innocently gazing at the floor, "I just wanna test something."

This piqued his interest (and fear). "What did you have in mi-"

Lunging forward, she grabbed his cheeks with both her hands, smushing his lips together as she planted hers on his. Resisting at first, he slowly gave in to this sudden act of romance, sliding his arms behind her back.

Despite Star being the aggressor, she found herself slowly losing control over the situation. Her mind numbed completely to the point of being left helpless in his arms. Eyes fluttering shut, it was Marco's turn to take charge.

He pulled her right up against his body, feeling her heart beat into his chest. Allowing his hand to roam free, it eventually felt its way up behind her neck, cradling her head between his fingertips. Her cheeks emanated a warm glow in his direction, providing positive feedback for his actions.

The way he had advanced into the situation was more than what she needed. His hand stroking the back of her neck only sent chills down her spine, causing her to arch her back, surrendering her position to him. But it wasn't enough. _She_ _wanted_ _more_. Parting her lips, she heard a soft moan escape her lungs. Primal adrenaline blitzed her mind, stimulating the feeling of pleasure and excitement that she could only describe as pure love.

He could sense the animal lust in her tone for more. Responding immediately, he glided his mouth above her upper lip and tasted her sweet lipstick, tracing his tongue along her teeth.

Gently biting her lip was enough to drive her over the edge. She gathered all her leftover energy for one last push. The world around them stilled. Her heartbeat reminiscent of a fireworks display.

Shewas _definitely_ satisfied with these results.

Blood rushed back her face upon feeling his breath tickling her nose, indication that the moment was spent.

And thus, they slowly reopened their eyes, hesitant to face reality and accept the consequences.

To his surprise, her cheek's hearts were pulsating between a soft pink and a deep red. Without thinking, he dragged his hand along her cheek, realizing it was burning hot. Instinctively, she withdrew her hands from his face and let it brush along his arms, eventually arriving at his wrist.

He dropped his arm, however she did not let go. Instead, she cupped his fingers in her palms, still nervously shaking, and stared directly into his solemn brown eyes.

Marco's breath still weighed heavily in his lungs. This was still pretty much his first experience in any form of romantic interaction and it was... _intense,_ to say the least. Upon letting go of reality, he felt controlled by a strange entity, allowing himself to be guided. Even stranger, he had no qualms against this invisible force.

Star's mind remained in a clueless puddle. Hearing Marco's voice aligned the pieces of actuality before her eyes.

"Was that... Er- did you find what you- you were looking for..?"

She blinked twice. "Um... Actually.. I did."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. It fought back.

"And... was it... to your liking?"

A small grin pushed its way onto her lips. He was such an adorable little gentleman.

She responded a bit too nonchalantly, "Well..." Uh-oh... here it comes.

"I mean I'll have to think about it.." Did he mess up? Was he too forward? Maybe it was a bit aggressive on his part..

"But so far I'd say..." No. He didn't want to hear it. Tightly forcing his eyes closed, he could hear almost hear this thoughts thrashing against the interior of his mind.

"It was perfect _._ " His muddled brain had a hard time accepting what she said.

"Wha?" He carefully opened one of his eyes, the other still tightly locked shut.

"I said," she swam her arms underneath his, hooking around his shoulders and pulling him downwards, her lips less than an inch away from his ear. " _It was perfect."_

Her whispers were barely audible. But nothing compared to the feeling of pure joy when she pulled him close, faces practically touching.

Like an overflowing dam, his chest burst in relief, hours of trapped breaths escaped his lungs, relaxing every tense fibre in his being.

She giggled at the sound of his sigh. He had clearly been holding back a lot throughout the entire night.

"Good... I was afraid I had messed up there."

"What do you mean? I would be more worried about how you seemed a bit _too_ experienced for this sorta thing." She slid him a sly glance, impressed that he seemed to know what he was doing during the miniature make out session.

"Experienced?" His face was colored with fear and anxiety. "I-I mean _of course._ I've- done that- with _tons_ of girls before."

She released him, eyes fully widened at his words. His heart plummeted upon seeing her reaction.

"N-no! I mean I've never had... Erm- I actually don't even like the thought of-"

She raised an eyebrow. Shoot! He hadn't intended it to sound that way! He rubbed the back of his head in frustration.

"I-I didn't mean that either! It was good, actually it was amazing and I hope that we could... do it again sometime...?"

Her eyes narrowed at him, staring daggers into his soul.

"Augh! No, it's just... How-.. How about I shut up before I somehow make this even worse." His head hung in shame.

 _Seriously Diaz?_ He internally chastised himself, _You couldn't even try to sound smooth? I swear I've got to be the **biggest idiot**_ _ **ever.**_

The biggest idiot ever was certainly surprised when he felt the girl's soft skin wrap around his, catching him in a hug.

"Yeah, 'cause if you keep talking, we can't keep kissing." Her voice calm and seductive.

This nearly brought Marco to his knees.

"Well... We probably could, although it would be _really_ difficult to breathe, not to mention not much would get across since it would be-" he stopped, realizing Star's unimpressed expression. "Ahem- shut up?"

Content, she smiled back sweetly. "Shut up."

Once again, they closed their eyes as their lips drew near, warm breaths tickling each other's noses, hearts beating in sync.

"YOU KIDS GET OUT THE GYM THIS INSTANT! THIS IS A SCHOOL NOT A 'LOVE FACTORY'!" The elderly janitor's shrieks shook the floor, startling the two.

They stared at the old man, his eyes ablaze in fury.

"I NEED TO GET HOME IN TWENTY MINUTES TO FEED MR. MITTENS (his cat?) AND I AM NOT WAITING FOR YOU TWO TO GET MARRIED FIRST!" He lifted his broom menacingly, ready to strike the couple.

Star and Marco exchanged glances before they booked it out the gymnasium, hands linked together, shoes thumping on the wooden boards, and an old janitor in hot pursuit.

"Marco- Marco wait, my heels!" Star cried, her tired feet in extreme pain from sprinting.

Marco halted in his tracks, determined to be the hero. "Here, hold on tight!" He bent over and hoisted Star onto his back, carrying her piggyback style.

"WOO! YEAH THIS IS MUCH BETTER!" Star shouted atop Marco. "HI-HO DIAZ!"

Marco glared back defiantly, standing completely still.

"Please?" She retracted slightly, scared that he might put her back down.

Instead, he rolled his eyes and began dashing, barely missing being swiped at by the broom.

The two busted their way through the main school doors, laughing and screaming like hyenas.

The old man stopped, gasping for air. "Darn kids, always... being so young..." He turned back towards the building. He had lots of cleaning left to do.

Marco, still carrying Star, hadn't noticed that they were long out of range of the old man, however he kept going, with the girl clinging to his back en route to their suburban home. In the midst of all the chaos, they had forgotten Marco drove there.

But the moment was too perfect to be concerned with such trivial details.

Down the street they went, the moon brilliantly lit the bleak and dark pathway before them, illuminating the peaceful setting of Echo Creek in a soft warm glow. Their laughter pierced the night.

* * *

 **So, there you have it. The final chapter.**

 **Okay so maybe I made that sound a lot more drastic than what it was worth, but honestly, after all I've gone through to get this done, I feel amazing! A gigantic thank you to everyone! This story meant a lot to me, but it meant even more that all you who read, faved, followed and/or reviewed this story enjoyed it just as much as I did.**

 **So before I kill myself with the sappy vibes, I will make mention of a few important matters. First of all, this story being done marks my comeback to this community. This means that I will most likely resume with updating again, not too often, but on a pretty decent schedule. That being said, I have a couple of new projects lined up for the future! As you may know, EVAunit42 had asked me to write a short little scene for his grand finale of** _ **If I say I miss you**_ **and, by accident, I thought he wanted me to write him an entire one shot. So I wrote a one shot, but then condensed it because it was too long, and he proceeded to use what he needed from it. I, however, know of exactly what he left out, and have plans to finish it, if not, expand on the entire story itself. It will be a one shot, of course, but look for that in the near future.**

 **Also in the works is a... brand new type of series I'm working on. This one is different, but it's been in the back of my mind for a while now. The idea is ambiguous, but I was fortunate enough to ask for the helping hand of one awesome author who was kind enough to offer to help give me tips, edits and maybe even belt out a few lines for the story. Again, Mr. EVAunit42. A wonderful author and I can never thank him enough to agreeing to this.**

 **And as always, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated. Thank you all for joining me in this incredible ride, if anything, I'm most thankful for you, my audience, for supporting me and bringing me confidence to continue writing. I hope to see you all soon, Watermalone out. :)**


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